Humans use all of the five senses to communicate. People have two eyes, ears, nostrils, hands, and one mouth. It’s safe to say, based on our construction, that most communication is nonverbal. Space and territory relate to nonverbal behavior because of how we respect or disrespect another human beings space. Space is paramount in how we receive and transmit nonverbal messages. The study of how we use and communicate space is call proxemics. All animals lay claim to a geographic area and defend it by different means. Humans established territoriality by frequenting a space. Since confrontation is not natural or conducive to harmony, claim to this space is easily transmitted and received. Humans are kings and queens of their own space all of the time. Conflict arises when this space or territory is compromised. There are six different categories of territory; primary, secondary, public, home, interactional and body. They all give people insight into the levels of space we need and are due.

How does encroachment and contamination have an effect on violating a person’s space?

Encroachment is not always negative. Love, like, respect, and admiration are sometimes transmitted with encroachment. Encroachment has negative affect on a person’s space when a violation or invasion occurs. A violation is when you use someone’s territory. For example, when I was small, I used to jump on my parent’s bed and watched their television when they were at work. It was a temporary encroachment into their space. It was also unwarranted. In college, the first time, I used my roommate’s cologne. A violation, unlike an invasion, is a temporary, unwarranted use of someone’s territory. An invasion is a permanent and intentional encroachment. This is when the encroacher forces their physical presence into the space of another. The colonization of the America’s was an invasion to the natives. Contamination is the changing of the environment of someone’s space or territory. Going into someone’s room and passing gas is contamination. Spilling red Kool-aid in someone’s new car is contamination.

People use preventative measures like marking with coats, bags, or books to prevent encroachment. People also go as far as labeling with signs to prevent encroachment. People can also use offensive displays of territorial claim to word of encroachers, tenure is also used to lay claim to a territory. This is when a person has frequented a space so long that it transmitted claim to a territory,

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